The Way we Were .. a Collection of Menus from the 80s

21/09/2012

JHow important is reading the Menu when you go to a Restaurant ? Do you enjoy perusing all the offerings, the way dishes are described and comparing different menus from different Restaurants?

Back in the 80s restaurant reviewer Rita Erlich began collecting menus, a collection which grew and grew and grew! She says it summarises "how we ate, what we drank, the growth of an industry"

Having outgrown her house, the menus are now housed at the State Library of Victoria . Some of them are also on display in the current exhibition at the Library : Gusto! A culinary history of Victoria .

Rita has also written a book about her gastronomic adventures and the culinary stars she's met called 'Melbourne by Menu' . She is pictured with her book and some of the menus.

Rita was a recent guest on Rod Quinn's program - she was featured as part of his regular 'Collectors' segment . You can hear the interview using this link : Rita Erlich on Menus